As We Speak: How to Make Your Point and Have It Stick

In Chapter 3, Peter Meyers and Shann Nix acknowledge their appreciation of Chip and Dan Heath and especially of what the Heaths share in their masterwork, Made to Stick. I share their high regard for this book and its co-authors. That book and As We Speak complement each other almost seamlessly. For example, the Heaths provide a brilliant explanation of the "what" and "why" of stickiness whereas Meyers and Vann provide an equally brilliant explanation of the "how" as well as why what they recommend is so effective.Here in a single volume is just about all you need to know about high-impact communication, especially after checking out the Heaths' book and reviewing the Six Principles that all sticky ideas demonstrate. (Please see Pages 16-18.) They are Simplicity, Unexpectedness, Concreteness, Credibility, Emotions, and Stories. Meyers and Nix have decades of experience helping people whose ability to think exceeds their ability to express themselves. "We develop the language and content, put them on their feet, rehearse them, and give them the tools they need to rise to the occasion." However, and it is impossible for me to exaggerate the importance of one point: this book offers more - FAR MORE - than "how to do it" advice for public speaking.They carefully organize their material within five Parts: Content, Delivery, State (i.e. presence), High-Stakes Situations, and Finding Your [own] Voice and Making It Heard. They are determined to help each reader's thinking gets the expression it deserves, "that the quality of the ideas is matched by the vitality of the [reader's] presence. The potential applications of what Meyers and Nix hare are almost unlimited because there are so many opportunities to achieve high-impact communication. The audience could be a single person or members of a governing board or several thousand people. The same principles apply: outstanding content + compelling delivery = high impact. As Warren Beatty suggests, "They may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel."After explaining in the first chapter how to ensure that a speech is outcome-focused, relevant, and on point, Meyers and Nix note that when taking the next step, "you can't just start slapping bricks together. First, you need to know where they go. You need a design. So now it's time to put together the architecture of ideas."The architecture consists of three parts: Ramp (the beginning), Discovery (the middle), and Dessert (the end).Meyers and Nix suggest three "Master Tips":o Get the I/You ratio right: Use ten "You's" for every "I."'o You have only seven seconds at the beginning in which the audience decides whether or not they're going to pay attention.'o Don't bury the lead. If you don't hook them right up front, you've lost them forever. There are no second chances.Here are the opening strategies they recommend:1. Open with the word "You"'2. Use a powerful statistic (i.e. a "sexy number")'3. Ask an intriguing question.'4. Shock them.'5. Make a confession.'6. Use the word "imagine" to serve as an invitation.7. Tell an historical anecdote that is relevant to your key point.'8. Tell a story: setting, characters, conflicts, tension, key developments, resolution, etc.This book is a "must read" for those who want to develop the mindset and the skills to communicate with high impact, whatever the circumstances may be. That assumes, of course, that the content is of a very high quality and appropriate for the given audience. Hence the importance of rigorous preparation. I agree with Peter Meyers and Shann Nix: Ultimately, "It's not about you. It's all about them."

As a speech coach, this book is invaluable. It is clear, concise, and immensely practical. I have read many books on the topic, and it is rare to find such a helpful resource. In particular, I love the way it is divided into three sections - state, content, and delivery. This clear structure offers a concrete method for approaching each and every speaking opportunity.As We Speak gives readers a simple yet powerful way to understand the secrets to great communication. I know I will turn to this book again and again when I work with my clients - and I will recommend it to each of them.

Written in a sincere tone with cool examples and situations. It is not recommended if you are looking for high level of rigor and theory

This is an unusual book. It doesn't just give good examples around platitudes you have heard before, but delves into what holds each of us back from being truly ourselves and conveying that to others. This book does not give you 10 bullet points and promise if you do them you'll be successful. It's much more thought-provoking in helping each of us understand how to get where we want to be while still being ourselves. While being very practical at the same time.

Real life, applicable information and insights. I was able to immediately apply the tips and tricks to my job and everyday life

I recommend this book for all public speakers. The book contains suggestions for writing, rehearsal and delivery. It is written not for preachers but for any public speaker and is oriented toward professional business people in the corporate world. It positively changed the way I prepare and deliver sermon. I only wish I had this book 20 years. It would have made my life easier and my ministry more effective.

I should have read it earlier. I am committed to improve my articulation by following the steps in this book. I will read it over again.

This is a must read book for anyone in business. For that matter, it's an important read for anyone wanting to have affective communication with any group or one on one. It helps you structure how to get to the point with your message. Read it, I promise it will help you communicate!

Great book!!

One of the best books on public speaking that I have ever read. The book touches on topics well beyond this. It is inspired by literature and research on what affects us mentally and how to overcome it. A great public speaker is developed first internally and then she is polished by the technicalities within a speech. I've applied what I learned in my work and I'm already seeing results!

L'ho trovato fantastico, chiaro, facile da usare. Davvero una lettura che consiglio a tutti quelli che vogliono passare dal parlare al comunicare

英語の文章自体が面白いし、プレゼンをするのが楽しく思いさせてくれる最高の本です。

Excelente contenido y entrega